Method for modifying data

Abstract

A method for modifying data to be used by a program of a data processing system, in particular a controller for controlling an assembly. The data is stored in a first memory in the form of reference data. The memory addresses of the reference data in the first memory are stored in a reference data memory address table in the first memory so that they can be accessed by the program. According to this method, the reference data memory address table is copied to a second memory in the form of a working data memory address table to be addressed by the program, and the reference data to be modified is copied to the second memory in the form of working data to be modified. Further, the working data memory address table is modified so that the memory addresses of the working data to be modified in the second memory replace the memory addresses of the reference data to be modified in the first memory, after which the working data is modified.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for modifying data to be used by a program of a data processing system for controlling an assembly, the data being stored in a first memory as reference data associated with memory addresses in the first memory, the memory addresses in the first memory being stored in a reference data memory address table of the first memory in order to be addressed by the program, and the reference data including a portion to be modified and another portion to be left unmodified, the method comprising the steps of: a) copying the reference data memory address table to a second memory as a working data memory address table in order to be addressed by the program;   b) copying the portion of reference data to be modified to the second memory as working data to be modified, the working data to be modified being associated with memory addresses in the second memory;   c) modifying the working data memory address table in order to replace the memory addresses of the portion of reference data to be modified in the first memory with the memory addresses of the working data to be modified in the second memory; and   d) modifying the working data, wherein the working data to be modified is modified during an execution of the program.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data processing system includes a controller. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of reloading the modified working data into the first memory as new reference data. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the program indirectly addresses the data by using one of the reference data memory address table and the working data memory address table. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 1, wherein before step a) and step b) are performed, the method further comprises the step of entering a manipulation request. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of entering the manipulation request includes the step of entering the manipulation request from an external application device coupled to the data processing system. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference data is organized into data structures that are in the form of data pages and stored in the first memory. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a code of the program is stored in a first storage area of the first memory. 
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, during an execution of the method, the program switches between: accessing the reference data stored in a second storage area of the first memory by using the reference data memory address table stored in a third storage area of the first memory, and   accessing one of the working data to be modified and the modified working data stored in a second storage area of the second memory by using the working data memory address table stored in a first storage area of the second memory.   
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of reloading the modified working data includes the step of temporarily storing the modified working data in a buffer together with the portion of reference data left unmodified. 
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the buffer is a fourth storage area in the first memory. 
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first memory includes a read-only memory that can be programmed on one of a page-by-page basis and a cell-by-cell basis, and wherein the second memory includes a random-access memory. 
     
     
       13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first memory includes a FLASH EPROM.